OSHA Corrects Record on U.S. Minerals

Abrasives maker U.S. Minerals has paid its $700,000 federal fine in full and has complied fully with the terms of its summer settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA said Thursday (Dec. 13), correcting an error from the day before.

The Dyer, IN-based company, one of the largest U.S. producers of coal slag products, paid the penalties to resolve eight cases that unfolded throughout 2010 at its four plants in Texas, Illinois and Louisiana.

U.S. Minerals

U.S. Minerals has abated all 141 cited violations, OSHA said.

The fine—reduced from more than $1.5 million—and other terms were the subject of a lengthy settlement agreement that U.S. Minerals signed in August with OSHA. The cases comprised a total of 141 willful, repeat, serious and other-than-serious citations involving respiratory protection and other health and safety violations.

This is the expected result from a company that is faced with a government agency that has all the time, all the power and all the money, particularly when that agency knows they will never be allowed to defend themselves in a court of law or be judged by a jury of their peers.